Charging gas-retorts, coke-ovens, and the like.



No. 866,177. PATENTBD SHG-17, 1G07.

J. G. w. ALDRIDGE G R. E. GIBSON. 4GHGRGING GAS RBTGRTS, GGKE oVBNs, AND THB LIKG.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 866,177.` PATENTED SEPT. 17,1907.

J. G. W. ALDRIDGB L R. E. GIBSON.

GHARGING GAS RETORTS, COKE 0VENS,.AND THE LIKE.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 23, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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PATENTBD SEPT'. 17, 1907. J. G. w. ALDRIDGE ER. E. GIBSON.

AND THE LIKE.

APPLIUATION Hmm rmzs. 1907.

GHARGING GAS RETORTS, COKE OVENS,

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y UNITED STATES yIuiTENT oEEIoE.

JAMES GEORGE WILLCOX ALDRIDGE, OF WESTMINSTER, AND RALPH ERNEST GIBSON, OF

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

CHARGING GAS-RETORTS, COKE-OVENS, AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 17', 1907.

Application iiled February 23, 1907. Serial N0. 358,984.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that JAMES GEORG-E WILLoox ALDRIDGE and RALPH ERNEST GIBSON, subjects of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 9 Victoria street,

.in the city oi Westminster, county oi London, England,

and 1268' Duke street, Liverpool, England, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Charging Gas-Retorts, Coke-Ovens, and the Like; and they do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable' others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention for improvements in or relating to charging gas retorts, coke ovens and the like, relates to apparatus in which a charging machine carrying a receiver hopper is traversed underneath a ixed or supply hopper or bunker from which the coal or other article is delivered to the charging machine through the receiver hopper. Hitherto the supply hopper has been provided underneath at the places where it is desired to supply the movable receiver hopper, with slide doors that have to be opened and shut by hand either by a single handle mounted on the traversing` apparatus and automatically engaging with shutters and operated by hand to open or shut, or by separate levers fixed on or near to the supply hopper or bunker operated by hand.

Now according to this invention, the shutters or doors in the fixed or supply hoppers are operated entirely automatically in such manner that as the charging apparatus is traversed to its diierent positions it automatically engages with and operates the shutters or doors to open and close the same.

In one way oi carrying out this invention, a pin or projection on each sliding plate engages with a slotted lever pivoted on the supply bunker and having ends that engage with rollers or pins on the traversing apparatus, so that when the charging machine is moved by hand or power along the line oi rails the sliding doors are opened and closed. The charging machine as it is moved from one retort to another, will, therefore, open and close the sliding door or doors and will receive its supply of coal from the overhead bunkers.

Where it is required to operate the doors while the charging machine is traveling in one direction only, the levers are made with single ends in such a way that one roller or pin on the traversing apparatus will move one end of the lever and leave the lever in such a position that another roller or pin will engage the other end oi the lever and move it back to its original position, When it is required to op erate the doors while the charging machine is traveling in either direction, the levers are made with an open ended slot at each end, so that the rollers or pins will engage .with the levers when traversed in either direction. In this case the ends oi each lever are so shaped as to facilitate the entry of the rollers into the open ended slots.

The projecting rollers or pins on the traversing apparatus may be so arranged that they may be drawn in and out of position for engaging the levers so that ii required the machine may be traversed past any door without operating it.

This invention is applicable in all cases where there is a row of machines, ovens or the like to be supplied or charged by a traversing charging machine from a supply hopperor bunker. I

In a modification, as the charger traverses along, it is arranged to operate in succession a series of sliding plates in the bottom oi the bunker so that the opening in the supply bunker is as it were actually traversed along` with the charging apparatus, the motion being reversed as the charging apparatus is traversed loack wards to its initial position.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a part plan of a supply hopper showing the application thereto of automatic door closing and opening mechanism constructed according to this invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section; Fig. 3 is a plan of a modified form of operating lever; and Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views to Figs. l and 2 showing a slightly modified orm of door closing and opening mechanism.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the supply hopper ais provided with slide doors such as b adapted to close the openings c, through which coal is delivered to the receiving hopper d ofthe charging apparatus. The openings c are arranged midway between the retorts so that the charge of coal is delivered to the hopper d as the charging machine travels from one retort to the next.

`On the underside of each door a pin or stud e is fixed and engages in the slotted or biiurcated end f ofthe operating lever f. The lever f is pivoted on a bolt g inserted in a slot hin a bracket i on the hopper a, so that the lever is adjustable.

As shown in Figs. l and 2 the lever f is capable oi operating the doors to open and close them, while the charging machine is traveling in either direction. For this purpose the lever is provided with open ended slots j j at opposite ends, which engage with the pins or rollers c 7c supported on suitable brackets on the receiving hopper or measuring chamber d of the charging apparatus. It will be seen that the inner ends of the levers f are each divided horizontally into two branches or arms of unequal length in which the respective slots i f and j/ are formed. As the charging machine is traversed along the rails in front of the retorts the pin or roller lc engages the slot j and turns the lever f about its pivot until the end f/ acting on the pin e has completely opened the door b. At this point the pin or roller 7c leaves the slot j and when the charger has traveled a predetermined distance, which depends on the position of the roller 7c in relation to the roller c, the closing pin With means for engaging with the lever to actuate said door.

or roller lc commences to act in the slot jf on the opposite end of lever f.

In Fig. l the numerals l to 4 indicate the relative positions of the rollers or pins k k, l showing the position when the door is about to be opened, 2 the position When the door is fullyopen, 3 the position when the door is about to be closed, and 4 the closed position. The leverf is at right angles to the travel of the door, when it is in the act of cuttingoff the coal, this being the position of severest stress. Ii the charging machine only operates to open and cl'ose the doors b when traveling in one direction the ends of the lever f that act on the pins are formed as shown in Fig. 3 only one branch or arm f 2 f 3 being required to engage the opening and closing pins 7c 7c as will be readily understood.

The rollers or pins lc, k on the charging machine may be mounted in such manner that they can be lowered out of the way of the lever f belonging to any door which it is not desired to operate. One Way of doing this s shown in Fig. 2. The levers l l are keyed to the shaft m working in the bracket p and the lever l2 is pivoted on the pin mf on the bracket p and they are provided with a slotted hole at each end, to which are attached at one end the slides n 'n/ bearing the rollers c k", and at the other end the rod o in such a manner that by pushing the rod o upwards the rollers 7c, 7cl are lowered'7 and vice versa. The slides n n to which the rollers c c/ are attached are constrained to move in a vertical direction by means of the guides q q forming part ot the brackets p p. In the modilied form of construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the same principle is involved, but instead of opening and closing each door in the supply bunker before passing on to the next, a series of doors or slidingA plates b are moved by the charger in succession so that the opening c is as it were traversed forward along With the charging apparatus and receiver hopper d. As the charging apparatus is traversed backwards the motion of the doors b is reversed and the opening c is again as it were traversed along with the charger. The levers f are formed with slots adapted to engage a pin or roller c on the receiver hopper d, the inner ends of the levers having slots f4 only for engagement with the pins e on the doors b.

What they claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In an apparatus for charging gas retorts, a supply hopper provided with a horizontally arranged door at its bottom, said door being movable only in its own plane, a lever pivotally secured to the hopper, means for connecting the inner end of the lever with said door, and a receptacle adapted to travel under the hopper and provided 2. In an apparatus for charging gas retorts, etc., a snpply hopper, a horizontally sliding door for the hopper provided with a pin, a lever pivotallysecured to the hopper, the inner end of which is` slotted longitudinally for engaging with said pin, a receptacle adapted to travel under the hopper and provided with means for engaging with the lever to actuate said door.

3. ln an apparatus for charging gas retorts, etc., a supply hopper provided with a horizontally sliding door, a.

lever pivotally secured to the hopper with its outer end slotted longitudinally and its inner end pivotally connected with said door, a receptacle adapted to travel under the hopper and provided with a pin for engaging withthe slotted end of said lever to actuate the door.

4. In an apparatus for charging gas retorts, etc., a sup,- ply hopper, a horizontally sliding door for the bottom thereof, having a pin, a lever pivotally secured to the hopper, the ends of which are slotted longitudinally and the inner ends are bifurcated with one part of the bifurcation longer than the other and in engagement with said pin, and a receptacle adapted to travel under the hopper and provided with pins for engaging with the slotted ends of the lever.

5,. ln an apparatus for charging gas retorts, etc., a supply hopper provided with a plurality of horizontally arranged doors in the bottom, each door being movable only in its own plane, a lever for each door, and a traveling receptacle provided with means for engaging with said levers for successively opening and closing said doors;

G. ln an apparatus for charging gas retorts, etc., a supply hopper, a horizontally sliding door therefor, a lever connected with said door, a traveling receptacle provided with projections for engaging said levers, and means for moving said projections into and out of their operative positions.

7. ln an apparatus for charging gas retorts, etc., a supply hopper provided with a horizontally sliding door, a lever connected with the door, a traveling receptacle provided with reciprocatory pins, levers connected therewith, and a handle for actuating the levers to move the pins into and out of posi/tion for engaging with the lever on the hopper.

In testimony whereof they aiix their signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES GEORGE WILLCOX ALDRIDGE. RALPH ERNEST GIBSON. Witnesses:

WM. PIERCE, H. WATSON. 

